‘Highest crime you can commit’: Incumbent into runoff because of ‘ghost candidate’ reacts to charges in case
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HOUSTON – Earlier this year, State Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) faced his first runoff in his 36 years of representing District 142, and it was all because of a candidate who prosecutors said never existed.
Dutton got the highest number of votes during the Democratic primary in March, but not enough to avoid a runoff with the second- and third-place finishers.
Prosecutors said Friday that an investigation revealed that the third-place candidate, Natasha Ruiz, was actually Natasha Demming, who filed under a false name. Prosecutors accused Demming of conspiring with Richard Bonton, who was another candidate in the District 142 race, to manipulate the vote.